Coupling device for well apparatus



Apfil 13, 1943. v

I P. MjEvANs 2,316,679

COUPLING D EVICE FO WELL APPARATUS ,Paw-L M.Evas

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Paul M. Evans, Valentine, Tex. Application December 22, 1941, Serial No. 424,046

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to well apparatus and more particularly to an improved coupling for permitting the attachment of a lower or standing valve with the upper or working valve of a tubular well pump.

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a valve coupling for tubular wells which can be rapidly operated to connect the standing valve with the working valve and to assure against accidental displacement when the same are coupled together as occasion demands that both valves be pulled from the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel coupling for connecting the two valves together which will permit raising and lowering of the valves and free rotation of the upper valve without the coupling of the lower or standing valve thereto.

The invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through a tubular well casing illustrating the relation of the coupling prior to connecting the upper valve with the lower valve.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l with the working valve being lowered for connection with the standing valve by means of the improved coupling.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the position of the coupling with the standing valve connected with the working valve.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. a well casing is generally designated by the reference numeral 5, the lower or standing valve is designated by the numeral 6, and the upper or working valve is designated by the numeral 1. The well easing 5 and valves 6 and 'I are of the ordinary or any preferred construction with the valve I being connected with the pump plunger 8.

The improved coupling comprises separable members 9 and I0 adapted to be attached to the valves 6 and 1, respectively. The member 9 is of tubular formation, the lower end of which is provided with interiorly formed threads Il,

said end being threadedly engaged over the stub I2 projecting from and forming a part of the standing valve 6. By this construction, the member 9 moves with and becomes a part of the valve 6. formed with diametrically opposed pins I3 which project from the outer face of the member to form a means for connecting the member 9 with the member III in a manner to be hereinafter described.

The member III is of hollow cylindrical formation, the upper end thereof being formed with a stub section I 4 having threads I5 formed exteriorly thereon. The stub section I4 forms the means for attaching the member I0 to the upper or working valve l, the latter being formed with a depending nteriorly threaded Vportion I6 which receives the threaded section I4. The member I0 is preferably of a size to slidably engage the walls of the casing 5 but can be formed of various sizes for cooperation with the upper or working valve. Opposed walls of the member I0 are formed with a vertical slot I1 which communicates with a horizontal slot I8, the latter slot in turn communicating with a second vertical slot I9 which extends upwardly to substantially the end of the member I0. The lower end of the slot I9 is formed with an ofset portion 20 which provides a seat for the pins I3. As more particularly shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, the wall of the slot I'I is of rounded formation at its lower end, as indicated at 2|, to assure positive engagement of the pins I3 therein.

In the operation of the Vcoupling device, and when desiring to simultaneously remove the lower or standing valve with the upper or working valve, the working valve carrying the member I0 is lowered in the casing and is partially rotated until the pins I3 enter the slots I1 fand then further rotated to bring the pins into engagement with the slots I9, which Iposition is shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. Lifting of the working valve through the plunger 8 will cause the Ipins I3 to become seated in the olset portion 20 as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing in which position the members 9 and I0 are united thereby connecting the valves 6 and 'I whereby a further lifting of the plunger 8 will simultaneously remove said valves.

Thus it will be seen that by means of the improved coupling device a rapid connection of the upper or working valve with the lower or standing valve is made possible. With the members in the .position shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, dis- The upper end of the member 9 is engagement of the parts is substantially precluded during the removal of the valves. The members l9 and I0 are to be formed of brass or similar material best adapted for use in wells.

Also it will be understood, of course, lby those skilled in the art that variations in the hereinabove described device involving the substitution of substantial equivalents for the devices described are intended to be comprehended within the spirit of the present invention and that, the invention is capable of extended application and is not conned to the exact showing of the drawing nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modiiications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the 'invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a well casing having an upper working valve and a lower standing valve, an upwardly extending externally threaded Cylindrical stub carried by the standing valve, a reduced cylindrical member internally threaded and screwed on the stub, outwardly extending oppositely disposed lugs carried by the reduced cylindrical member, a downwardly extending internally threaded stub carried by the working valve, a cylindrical member having a reduced upper externally threaded extension screwed into the stub `carried by the Working valve, and the 0pposite sides of the cylindrical member having bayonet slots, each slot having a downwardly curved recess for the reception of the oppositely disposed lugs carried by the reduced cylindrical member of the standing valve.

PAUL M. EVANS. 

